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Church News

Grace Lutheran Church plans an Oktoberfest celebration today from 6-8 p.m. Enjoy crafts and games, contests and prizes. Have a brat or a cup of soup and wash it down in the root beer garden. Costumes are welcome (but nothing scary please). Everything is free and is sure to be lots of fun for kids of all ages. Visit www.GraceLutheranKenai.com for directions.

Lighthouse Community Church, Mile 25 Kenai Spur Highway in Nikiski, will host a Trunk or Treat from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The parking lot will be lined with decorated parked cars. Children go trunk to trunk in their costumes to collect their treats. This is a free event in a safe environment. Organizers want everyone to have fun so please use your creativity and dress up in your best un-scary costume. For more information, call the church office at 776-5454.

Birch Ridge Community Church on Echo Lake Road in Soldotna will host a Fear Not Festival, a free kids community event, from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday. Kids are invited to wear non-scary costumes. The festival will include games and prizes, music, face painting, pictures, candy and popcorn, a cakewalk and balloons. For more information, call 260-6705.

A Candy Land trunk or treat event is planned for 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Kenai Christian Church, on the corner of McKinley and First Avenue in Kenai. The event will include shows by the Everlasting Arms puppeteers. Hot dogs and hot drinks will be served.

The Soldotna United Methodist Church, at 158 South Binkley Street, now offers a Food Pantry for citizens in the community who are experiencing food shortages. The Food Pantry is open every Wednesday from 11a.m.-2 p.m. for anyone in the area who may need extra help.

To support these efforts, the church is accepting non-perishable food donations, which may be dropped off at the church any Tuesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Wednesday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. or Sunday from 9 a.m.-noon. To make monetary donations, mail a check to the address above designating it for the SUMC Food Pantry or drop it by. For more information, contact the church office at 262-4657 or by email at sumc@alaska.net.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church will host their 8th annual Octoberfest gathering today and Saturday at 222 West Redoubt Avenue, Soldotna. On Oct. 26, a carnival with games and concessions available will be at the Redemptorist Center from 5-9 p.m.; on Saturday, the hours are 1-4 p.m. Quilt Bingo will take place at O’Neill Hall on Oct. 26, doors open at 6 p.m. with concessions and Bingo for a wide variety of homemade quilts from 6:30-9 p.m. Concessions are available there, also. For more information, call Pat at 262-7801.

■ Kid Zone is held every Tuesday that there is school at Peninsula Grace Brethren Church for kids ages birth to preschool and a parent/guardian from 10:30-11:30 a.m. with indoor slides and lots of toys! Free!

The public is invited to attend Star of the North Lutheran’s Harvest Festival on Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. There will be fun for all ages including apple bobbing, bean bag toss, balloon dart toss, cupcake walk and more. Pastor Corbie Cross will have a presentation on activities at Star of the North.

The church is located at 216 North Forest Drive in Kenai. For more information call 283-4153.

Clothes Quarters at Our Lady of the Angels Church is open every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the first Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 283-4555.

Calvary Baptist Church in Kenai has started its 2012-13 AWANA year with programs on Sundays at Kenai Middle School, from 5:25-7:15 p.m. Classes available for kids age 3 through grade 6. Please use back entrance. Call 283-4781 for more info.

A women’s Bible study, “Life in the Spirit,” by Robertson McQuilkin, will meet from noon-2 p.m. on Thursdays through Dec. 13 at The Way Cafe, by the Merit Inn. Lunch is provided. Call Carole at 283-7772 or Kassy at 283-7672 for more information.

Soldotna Day Aglow will meet every Wednesday at Peninsula Christian Center located in Soldotna. There will be coffee and fellowship at 9:30 a.m., followed by 10 a.m. worship, teaching and prayer. Babysitting provided. Contact Judy Risung at 283-3534.

Child Evangelism Fellowship offers Good News Clubs at Aurora Borealis Charter School, Mountain View Elementary, Soldotna Elementary, K-Beach Elementary and the Merit Inn. Children are taught values and character qualities through Bible lessons, games, and songs. Snacks and prizes will be provided. All volunteer and staff leaders are screened for child protection. Parents are welcome to attend and are responsible for transportation following the clubs. Permission slips are available in all schools.

To find the Good News Club nearest you, or for more details including club times and directions please contact Francisco or Ramsey Vega at 262-9605 or visit our website at: cefalaska.com/goodnewsclubs.

Classes for anyone interested in the Catholic Church will be held each Wednesday evening at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. The classes are held in O’Neill Hall on Redoubt Avenue at 6:30 p.m. Those attending will learn about the teachings of the Church based on the teachings of Jesus Christ to His disciples. This process is called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults or RCIA. For more information call Shirley at 262-9654 or Marlys at 262-5542.